State Minister Speaks of Achievements in Mitigating Illegal Migration, Calls for Improved Framework

Addis Ababa, January 24, 2026 (ENA) -Despite notable progress in legalizing migration and addressing irregular migration, Ethiopia’s full implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) has been constrained by the lack of a unified monitoring and evaluation framework, Justice State Minister Belayhun Yirga said on Thursday.

The lack of such a framework, he noted, has resulted in fragmented programming and implementation efforts.

Speaking at a high-level consultation workshop on Ethiopia’s National Implementation Plan (NIP), the State Minister said the 2020–2025 plan has delivered tangible results, including progress in legalizing migration while addressing irregular migration, as well as strengthening policy, legal, and operational frameworks.

Nonetheless, Belayhun stressed that the current period presents an opportunity to revisit and redefine national priority objectives, taking into account evolving migration realities, emerging challenges, and new opportunities identified through the national review assessment.

He recalled that the Global Compact for Migration, adopted by the United Nations in 2018, is the first comprehensive global framework for migration governance, emphasizing international cooperation, common standards, and the protection of the rights, dignity, and well-being of migrants across countries of origin, transit, and destination.

According to the State Minister, developing a comprehensive national implementation plan will be critical to harmonizing and accelerating GCM implementation at both federal and regional levels of government.

“The preparation of the plan requires strong collaboration among governmental and non-governmental stakeholders,” Belayhun said. “In this regard, the National Partnership Coalition, in close collaboration with IOM Ethiopia, has developed a structured work plan to guide the process in an inclusive, gender-sensitive, and results-oriented manner, thereby strengthening Ethiopia’s capacity to translate GCM commitments into concrete actions.”

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ethiopia Chief of Mission Abibatou Wane-Fall said IOM has been working closely with the Government of Ethiopia to establish a comprehensive migration governance and management framework.

She noted that such political engagement in Ethiopia and across the region reflects the growing importance of migration issues in Eastern Africa and beyond.

Commending the Government of Ethiopia for its efforts to address irregular migration in line with the Global Compact on Migration, Wane-Fall reaffirmed IOM’s commitment to continued partnership.